I know it might sound painful to some of you…and trust me I’m with you.

The idea of sacrificing any of these hard earned beard hairs seems ridiculous. For those of you working your Yeard, I commend you. Keep it growing!

For you others, there MAY be a few circumstances where we suggest considering some trimming. After all, that’s one of the beautiful things about your beard, it’ll continue to grow!

These suggestions are merely that and aim to help bring positives to your beard game and maintaining your beards shape and health. Let’s look at a few signs that it might be time for a trim.

1. When You Find Food (or Random Objects) in Your Beard

Ok, I’m not talking about just smothering some of your lunch on your beard when you’re enjoying that double-double and animal fries. I’m talking about when you find leftovers well after you’ve enjoyed them.

The women getting close to your beard aren’t interested in your french fries. This does NOT mean you need to hack it off…you just may consider a slight trim to keep it organized.

An alternative to this (and recommended), is to wash your beard daily with a high-quality beard wash.

Related: Learn more about Beard Wash

2. When Your Wife Insists

OUCH!

Ok…this is a very heated debate. We all know most women love beards.

But there are the very few exceptions. My advice to you guys who have a woman asking you to shave…if you shave your beard for a woman..you probably don’t deserve either of them….

Kidding aside...

A trim is a different story. As men, and damn good ones, we make commitments to our women and we stand by those.

I wouldn't want to SHAVE my beard, however, a slight trim to make her happy would be a compromise I could handle.

Plus..this is the perfect time for you to negotiate the deal…you know..that big TV you’ve wanted…Use this time to YOUR advantage!

3. When Your Beard is Unhealthy

As we grow our beards out it gets harder for your body to naturally supply enough oil to the beard hairs. Your skin and beard will dry out, leading to irritation and an unhealthy beard. This is when washing with a proper beard wash and applying ample amounts of beard oil daily is most critical.

But even with a proper beard routine daily, you may end up with some damaged ends and an unruly look. A method to fix this is to trim off the dead ends which will help the overall appearance and health of your beard.

To avoid the need for a trim with longer growth, you'll need a deep conditioner to keep your beard strong, healthy and looking its best.

With longer growth, beard oil alone isn't enough. We recommend using beard butter to give you a deep condition that will also give you style and hold all day long.

4. When Your Beard Gets Stuck in Places

Zippers, windows, elevator doors…

All great things but not a great place for your beard to be hanging out in. Not only can these things cause a ton of pain, but they can and will cause chunks of your beard to be sacrificed.

If you’re experiencing this, it might be time for a slight trim…otherwise, proceed with caution.

5. When You Need a Change of Style

Let’s face it…your beard is a part of your identity. Are you rocking the big thick stache? Do you have a wizard beard or the Abe Lincoln?

Whatever beard you’ve been showcasing has become an identity for you.

This is part of what makes beards so great. They are a direct reflection of your personality. If you’re ever feeling the urge to mix things up a bit, one of the easiest things to do is to make a slight change to your beard.

Grow your stache longer or trim it down…grow a little extra length or take some off. These will give your beard, and you a dramatically different look.

The best part, it’ll grow back!

Bottom Line

Use these guidelines… or NOT. Grow it to your knees and never trim it if you want.

Your beard is badass just the way it is. Grow it however you want.

If you have questions on trimming, products, or anything else, don't hesitate to reach out anytime to support@livebearded.com or on Facebook. If you found this article helpful, hit the share button!

Live Bearded Brother!